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Syria, Iran slam US for excluding them in fight against IS militants
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SYRIAN and Iranian officials criticized the Obama administration yesterday for excluding them from an international coalition coming together in the battle against the Islamic State group, while a state-run Syrian daily warned that unauthorized US airstrikes on Syria may trigger the “first sparks of fire” in the region.
The strongest reaction, however, came from Russia. A Russian Foreign Ministry statement said such military action without a UN Security Council resolution “would be an act of aggression and flagrant violation of international law.”
The US began launching limited airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq early last month at the request of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
In a prime-time address to the nation from the White House late on Wednesday, Obama announced he was authorizing US airstrikes inside Syria for the first time, along with expanded strikes in Iraq as part of “a steady, relentless effort” to root out Islamic State extremists and curb their reign of terror.
He also again urged Congress to authorize a program to train and arm Syrian rebels who are fighting both the Islamic State militants and Assad’s forces.
Obama did not say when US forces would begin striking at targets inside Syria.
Syrian Minister for Reconciliation, Ali Haider, warned that “any action without the approval of the Syrian government is an aggression on Syria.”
He said international law dictates that any military action needs Damascus’ approval, and should also be coordinated with the government.
Obama has ruled out any partnership with Syrian President Bashar Assad in the fight against the Islamic State militants, saying the Syrian leader will “never regain the legitimacy” he has lost.
“I wonder how an international coalition can be formed and Syria, which is targeted by terrorism in depth, is shunned aside?” Syrian lawmaker Sharif Shehadeh said. He said violating Syrian sovereignty will have “negative repercussions on regional and international security.”
The state-run al-Thawra newspaper warned that Obama’s authorization of airstrikes in Syria might be “the first sparks of fire in the region.”
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani also said that regional and international cooperation will be vital — even though Tehran has not been invited to join the international coalition against the Islamic State group.
In Tehran, foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said the coalition has “serious ambiguities.”
She added that Iran has doubts about the seriousness of the coalition, accusing some unnamed members of supporting terrorism in Iraq and Syria.
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